Tipsheet: Target Chief Merchant Close-Up | Kroger CFO: ‘A Penny Business’ | ‘Crazy Eddie’ Dead
Target chief merchant Mark Tritton settling into big job ahead by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “How do we leverage that level of refresh and redefine on our overall portfolio,” he said. “I think there’s opportunity for that.” He’s not yet ready to discuss what may be coming up next, even a new women’s apparel line that is reportedly in the works. “Uff da,” he said, laughing, when pressed for details. He had just learned the common Minnesota phrase the night before.” Read more
Wal-Mart stops selling Egyptian cotton sheets made by Welspun at Reuters. “Welspun has not been able to assure us the products are 100 percent Egyptian cotton, which is unacceptable,” Wal-Mart said in a statement.” Read more
E-Commerce Is a Boon for Rural America, But It Comes With a Price by Laura Stevens at Wall Street Journal. “…online shopping is creating another retail revolution here that doesn’t require a half-hour drive to Wal-Mart or roughly 2½-hour drive to Oklahoma City. April Geralds, a security-firm support manager, recently bought her two teenage daughters designer Miss Me jeans for half price on Macys.com. Her family now has access to things “I didn’t ever think we would have,” said the Mangum resident.” Read more (subscription)
Target tests new mobile rewards at St. Louis/Denver/Houston/San Diego stores by Lisa Brown at St. Louis Post Dispatch. “Target’s testing a new feature will allow customers who download the latest version of the Cartwheel app to earn rewards that can be redeemed for merchandise that range in value from $10 to $20.” Read more
Kroger CFO: We’re clearly a penny business at CNBC. “CFO Council member and CFO of the Kroger Company, Michael Schlotman talks earnings on CNBC’s Squawk Box.” See the video
Kroger Q2 Earnings Call Transcript Full transcript
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Hanjin ship unloads in U.S. as fresh funds pledged by Jim Christie & Joyce Lee at Reuters. “Truck drivers probably will begin moving containers from the Greece on Monday while the vessel prepares to leave late in the day for the Port of Oakland, said Teamsters spokeswoman Barbara Maynard and shipping traffic controllers.” Read more
Serena Williams hits sweet spot with see-now, buy-now at Fashion Week by Teresa Novellino at New York Business Journal. “We tested this format last year with a large portion of her collection and were pleased with the spike in sales, prior to her appearance on HSN a few days later,” Brand wrote via email. “Sales were up nearly five times that of a regular appearance throughout the year.” Read more
Texas mattress company closes indefinitely after ‘tasteless 9/11 Twin Tower sale’ commercial at Daily Mail. “‘For our lives to be in danger, that’s no what we ever wanted.’ She added: ‘It was stupid, it was a stupid idea that we sent out and we apologize for our stupidity and we really hope that you forgive us for what we have done.'” Read more
Owner of ‘Crazy Eddie’ electronics chain dead at 68 Leonard Greene at NY Daily News. “(Eddie) Antar rode the appeal of such kooky commercials to retail supremacy, with a chain of 43 stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania But Antar was anything but crazy. He was crooked…” Read more
…NY Times Bio Read more
Adweek: These Media Plans Represent Creativity at Its Finest “REI – There were 33 straight days of media coverage, with 3,423 placements and 6.7 million impressions. What’s more, the initiative generated 1.2 million social impressions. REI sales rose by double digits over the prior year (except, of course, on Black Friday itself) while employment applications saw a 92 percent uptick.” Read more
96 people who ate Chipotle and got sick settled for cash — and some free-burrito coupons at Denver Post. “In 25 years of doing foodborne illness cases, I’ve never had a client ask for coupons for the restaurant they had gotten sick at,” said William Marler, an attorney with Seattle-based Marler Clark who represented 97 Chipotle customers.” Read more
Ice cream man, 89, sees his fortunes transformed after Good Samaritan posts Facebook picture of him bent over pushing his cart and raises $115,000 in two days Read more
Tipsheet Extra Stories
Woman stuck by needle in Target in parking lot awarded $4.6 million
1 dead, 2 injured as Good Samaritans help woman attacked at Wal-Mart
…Kansas woman films aftermath
The Story Behind The Haight’s Whole Foods ‘Bad Neighbor’ Sign
How Sephora Is Helping Budding Female Entrepreneurs
Hy-Vee plans first mega C-store in Twin Cities
What the Founder of TOMS Shoes Is Doing Now
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